1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus, and more particularly to technology which optimizes a layout of flow channels in a liquid ejection apparatus in which liquid to be ejected from nozzles of a liquid ejection head is supplied to the liquid ejection head while circulated through the liquid ejection head.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid ejection head (e.g., an inkjet head, hereinafter referred simply to as the “head”) configured to eject liquid (e.g., droplets of ink) has a problem in that ejection defects occur if the liquid inside the head contains bubbles or has the viscosity increased. In order to prevent such ejection defects caused by bubbles in the liquid inside the head or the increased viscosity of the liquid inside the head, it is known technology to supply the liquid to the head while circulating the liquid through the head.
In cases of supplying the liquid to the head while circulating the liquid through the head, it is necessary to stably supply the liquid to the head in order to accurately control the ejection of the liquid from the head. Here, “to stably supply the liquid” means to supply the liquid while suppressing pressure variation in the supplied liquid as far as possible.
For suppressing pressure variation in the supplied liquid, a method to arrange dampers in flow channels through which the liquid is supplied is known (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-101516, for example).
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-313884 describes technology for suppressing pressure variation in the supplied liquid by controlling the energy per unit volume generated in the liquid inside a tank on the supply side and the energy per unit volume generated in the liquid inside a tank on the recovery side, so as to maintain a prescribed relationship.